Adjunct instructors at Youngstown State University threw themselves a party this week to mark 25 years without a pay increase. "It’s 'fair to say that our president and provost recognize that that's a problem and, while we are facing some difficult budget challenges like most in higher ed, [we’re] committed to trying to rectify that situation," said university spokesperson Ron Cole. It's hard to see how you could recognize something as a problem and do nothing about it for 25 years. A more honest statement would probably say something about how embarrassed they are by this situation and how much they wish it hadn't attracted international attention. Image: Michelle N.